Pubdate: Tue, 23 Mar 2010
Source: Wall Street Journal (US)
Copyright: 2010 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.wsj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/487
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n182/a06.html
Author: Howard Wooldridge

DRUG WAR: A DESTRUCTIVE, IMMORAL DOMESTIC POLICY

In regard to your March 17 editorial "Murder in Mexico": As a police 
detective who worked the trenches of our failed modern 
Prohibition-like war on drugs, I experienced firsthand the fact that 
the strategy has been the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral 
domestic policy since slavery and Jim Crow. Americans are loathe to 
admit this policy has been a mistake, even after 40 years of failure 
and a trillion tax dollars spent. However, Rep. Ron Paul favors 
repealing drug prohibition and he was a candidate for president (and 
raised a ton of money). He is now a force in Republican politics.

You state that drug use would rise with a legal, regulated market. 
Besides a business and finance expert, are you also a doctor, 
board-certified in addiction psychiatry? I have spoken to eight such 
doctors and they state that almost no one would start using heroin, 
crack or methamphetamines just because it became legal. Most 
Americans are not that stupid.

Howard Wooldridge

Drug Policy Specialist

Citizens Opposing Prohibition

Washington 
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